Reclosable packet and a method for forming a blank for a reclosable packet

Abstract: A reclosable chewing gum packet, and a blank for making that packet. The packet (30) includes a multitude of side panels (16a-16e) and a tear strip (14) attached to and transversely extending across each of those side panels. The tear strip is cut through, adjacent a first end thereof, to separate the tear strip into first and second sections (14a,14b). The first section of the tear strip is torn away from the packet to form a lateral tear line (34), separating the packet into a cover (36) and a body (40). When this is done, the transverse cut (42) through the tear strip prevents the first section of the tear strip from tearing the second section of the tear strip away from the packet. That second section of the tear strip remains attached to the packet and forms a flexible hinge (44) connecting the cover of the packet to the body thereof.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to reclosable cartons or packets and to blanks for making such cartons or packets; and, more specifically, this invention relates to such cartons or packets that are well-suited for holding sticks of chewing gum. Conventionally, a chewing gum packet is opened by pulling a narrow tear strip that extends around a top portion of the packet to separate that top portion from the rest of the packet. That top portion is then removed, providing access to the individual chewing gum sticks in the packet. There are several disadvantages of this conventional prior art procedure. First, after the top portion of the packet is removed, the chewing gum sticks may slide out of the packet and scatter in, for instance, the pocket or purse of the person carrying the packet. Second, after the chewing gum packet has been opened, the chewing gum sticks inside the packet may loose water vapor and other molecular ingredients, so that the chewing gum sticks, over time, may become dry and breakable and loose their flavor and aroma. Prior art chewing gum packets are disclosed, for example, in US-A-2,118,849, US-A-1,329,056, and US-A-1,132,781. US-A-2,118,849 and US-A-1,329,056 disclose chewing gum packets having top covers that are separated from the bodies of the packages either by removing a tear strip or by tearing along a perforated line. US-A-1,132,781 discloses a chewing gum package having a top flap that can be selectively opened and closed. This top flap, however, is formed by a separate strip of material that is pre-folded and then inserted into the gum package. EP-A-0 456 506 discloses a package intended for packaging, for example, detergent. Figure 17 of this document shows a blank made from cardboard, corrugated cardboard or the like which can be folded to form a generally parallelepipedal package. This blank includes four panels connected together, the first of which forms a lateral panel, the second forms a front or back panel of greater width than the first panel, the third forms another lateral panel, and the fourth forms a back or front panel; attached to the fourth panel is a narrow joining strip which is glued to the first panel when the package is folded into shape. In order to facilitate removal of a tear-off strip for opening the package a tape extends the width of the blank across all four panels and the narrow joining strip. This tape is cut transversely in two places in the section extending across the fourth panel so as to ensure that a hinge zone is left where the tear strip is not removed. FR-A-2672572 teaches in Figures 1 and 5 a cardboard box with a tear strip which, when detached, leaves an area forming a hinge zone articulating a cover to the body of the box. The blank includes four side panels made up of two side panels of greater width arranged alternately with two side panels of lesser width separated one from another by transverse folding lines and of a joining strip for gluing to a first side panel at the opposite end of the blank to form a tubular shape which can be delivered flat. The tear strip extends across all four panels and the joining strip from one end to the other of the blank from a pull tab on the first side panel to its other end on the joining strip. A pair of transverse cutting lines on the fourth side panel to which the joining strip is attached define the hinge portion. WO-A-92/02424 shows in Figure 8 a blank for a lidded carton with four panels separated one from another by transverse creases with a tear strip formed of reinforcing material extending from a tab on one side panel at one end of the blank across all four panels and also across a gluing tab attached to the side panel at the other end of the blank. The reinforcing strip is cut on the crease between the side panel at the said other end of the blank and the adjoining side panel so that, when the blank is folded up and glued to form a carton and when the reinforcing strip is removed by pulling on the tab at the one end of the blank, a hinge portion remains across the side panel at the other end of the blank. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a reclosable packet having a reclosable top cover. More specifically, the packet comprises: a multitude of side panels connected together to form a packet, said multitude of panels being arranged in sequence and including a first side panel and a last side panel in said sequence, said first side panel and said last side panel being connected together to form the packet, the side panels including top portions folded together to form a top for the packet, and bottom portions folded together to form a bottom for the packet; a tear strip attached to and transversely extending across each of said side panels, adjacent the top of the packet, to form a lateral tear line around the packet to separate the packet into a body and a cover; the tear strip having first and second opposite longitudinal ends; the tear strip being transversely cut through, adjacent the first end thereof, to separate the tear strip into a first section and a second section, wherein when the first section of the tear strip is torn away from the packet to form said tear line, said transverse cut prevents the first section of the tear strip from tearing the second section thereof away from the packet, and said second section forms a flexible hinge connecting the cover of the packet to the body thereof; characterized in that the second section of the tear strip extends only across the first side panel and is bounded at one end by said transverse cut and at the other by the first longitudinal end of the tear strip. The cover of the packet may be pivoted about the hinge formed by the second section of the tear strip between open and closed positions. Preferably the packet includes an adhesive strip, attached to either the cover or the main body of the packet, to hold the cover releasably in the closed position. In addition, preferably the multitude of side panels form a first transverse edge and the tear strip lies over and is attached to a gripping tongue that projects beyond said first transverse edge at a side of the packet to help a person grip that tear strip. The invention further provides a blank for making a reclosable packet, comprising: a multitude of side panels connected together for forming the packet, said multitude of panels being arranged in a sequence having first and second opposite ends and including a first side panel forming said first end of said sequence, the side panels including top portions to form a top for the packet, and bottom portions to form a bottom for the packet; a tear strip attached to and transversely extending across each of the multitude of side panels, adjacent to the top portion thereof, to form a lateral tear line around the packet and to separate the packet into a cover and a body; the tear strip having first and second opposite longitudinal ends; the tear strip being transversely cut through, adjacent the first end thereof, to separate the tear strip into a first section and a second section, wherein when the first section of the tear strip is torn away from the packet to form said tear line, said transverse cut prevents the first section of the tear strip from tearing the second section thereof away from the packet, and the second section of the tear strip forms a flexible hinge, hingedly connecting the cover of the packet to the body thereof; characterized in that the second section of the tear strip extends only across the first panel and is bounded at one end by said transverse cut and at the other by the first longitudinal end of the tear strip. A blank for making this packet may be formed in a continuous, automated process. Hence, according to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for forming a blank for a reclosable carton, comprising: unwinding a given length segment of a flexible packaging material from a supply of said material, said segment extending in longitudinal and transverse directions; forming a multitude of fold lines transversely extending across said segment to separate said segment into a multitude of contiguous panels, said multitude of panels being arranged in a sequence and including a first side panel and a last side panel in said sequence; attaching a tear strip to said segment, adjacent and parallel to a first longitudinally extending edge of said segment: separating said segment from the supply of the packaging material; forming a transverse cut through the first portion of the tear strip, adjacent a first end of the tear strip, to separate the tear strip into first and second sections, wherein when the first section of the tear strip is torn away from said panels to form a tear line thereacross, said transverse cut prevents the first section of the tear strip away from the panels, and the second section of the tear strip forms a flexible hinge between the transverse cut and the first end of the tear strip; characterized in that the second section of said tear strip is disposed directly on the first side panel and extends only across the first side panel and is bounded at one end by said transverse cut and at the other by the first longitudinal end of the tear strip. Benefits and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description given with reference to the accompanying drawings, which specify and show preferred embodiments of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank for making a reclosable packet in accordance with the present invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a portion of a packet made from the blank of a Figure 1. Figure 3 shows the packet of Figure 2 after a tear strip has been removed to form a reclosable top closure for the packet. Figure 4 is a side view of the packet, with the top closure shown in an open position. Figure 5 shows a cutting device for making various cuts in the blank of Figure 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figure 1 illustrates blank 10 comprising a base 12 and a tear strip 14; and base 12, in turn, includes a multitude of side panels 16a-16e and a multitude of fold lines 20a-20d. Preferably, blank 10 also includes a gripping tongue 22 and notch 24. The embodiment of blank 10 shown in Figure 1 has a generally rectangular shape, with a length L and width W, and the blank has generally parallel longitudinal edges and a pair of end or transverse edges. Fold lines 20a-20d transversely extend completely across the width of blank 10 and are equally spaced apart along the length of the blank, separating the blank into the side panels 16a-16e. Blank 10 is designed to make packets or cartons that are used to hold a multitude of sticks of gum, one of which is shown in outline at 26 in Figure 1. Preferably, the width of each panel 16a-16e of blank 10 is slightly greater than the widths of those sticks of gum, and the length of each panel is longer than the lengths of those sticks of gum. In fact panels 16a-16e are sufficiently long to allow the tops and bottoms of the panels to be folded over and under, respectively, the sticks of gum inside the packet to form a top and a bottom of that packet. Blank 10 may be made of any suitable material, and fold lines 20a-20d may be made in any suitable manner. Preferably, side panels 16a-16e are integrally connected together; and, for example, blank 10 may be made of a flexible packing material such as paper, and one face or side of the blank may be plasticized. Alternatively, blank 10 may be made of a thermoplastic film. Blank 10 is used to make a packet shown at 30 in Figures 2-4. More specifically, packet 30 is made by folding side panels 16a-16e of blank 10 about fold lines 20a-20d to form a four sided enclosure, and with panel 16e located outside of and directly against panel 16a. Top portions 18a-18e of panels 16a-16e are folded inward and together to form a top of the packet, and bottom portions 19a-19e of panels 16a-16e are folded inward and together to form a bottom of the packet. Gum sticks 32 may be positioned on blank 10 prior to or during the folding of panels 16a-16e, so that packet 30 is formed or wrapped around those gum sticks, or the gum sticks may be positioned in the packet after side panels 16a-16e are folded and connected together. With reference again to Figure 1, tear strip 14 is attached to and longitudinally extends completely across each of side panels 16a-16e of blank 10, adjacent the top portions 18a-18e of those side panels; and the tear strip is provided to form a lateral tear line, shown at 34 in Figures 3 and 4, around the packet 30 formed from blank 10, thereby to separate that packet into a cover 36 and a main body 40. Also, tear strip 14 is itself transversely cut through, at 42, adjacent a first end of the tear strip to separate the tear strip into first and second sections 14a and 14b. In this way, when the first section 14a of the tear strip is torn away from packet 30 to form tear line 34, cut 42 prevents that first section 14a from tearing second section 14b away from packet 30; and second section 14b is left on the packet 30 and forms, with the attached portions of side panel 16e, a flexible hinge 44 connecting cover 36 of the packet to main body 40 thereof. Tear strip 14 may be made of any suitable material and attached to blank base 12 in any suitable manner. For example, tear strip 14 may be glued to the blank base 12 by a conventional adhesive, and the tear strip is made of a material that is stronger than the material of base 12, so that as the strip 14 is torn away from packet 30, the material of base 12 tears away with the tear strip. Preferably, tear strip 14 is completely cut through at 42, both laterally and through the depth of the tear strip. As will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, it is not necessary that tear strip 14 be completely cut through in this way. The important objective is that the cut 42 be such that the tear strip will break at the cut when the tear strip section 14a is pulled away from packet 30, and section 14a does not pull section 14b away from the packet. This objective may be achieved in other specific ways and, for example, tear strip 14 may be only partially cut through at 42 to provide the tear strip with the desired weakness at that point. Gripping tongue 22 is provided to help a person grip an end of tear strip 14 to start the above-mentioned tearing of that strip. More specifically, gripping tongue 22 is connected to and extends outward from a transverse edge 21 of blank 10, and when packet 30 is formed from the blank, the gripping tongue 22 projects outward of side panel 16b. At the same time, tear strip 14 lies over and is attached to the gripping tongue 22; and, in this way, a person may grip the end of tear strip 14 by gripping tongue 22. Preferably, gripping tongue 22 is integrally connected to side panel 16a and, as discussed below, tongue 22 and side panels 16a-16e are made from a single unitary piece of material. The use of tear strip 14 in the above-discussed manner enables packet cover 36 to be pivoted about hinge 44 between an open position (shown in Figure 3) and a closed position (shown in Figure 4). In the open position, cover 36 extends forwardly upwardly from hinge 44 and the front portion of the cover is spaced from the chewing gum sticks 32 in packet 30, providing access to those sticks. In the closed position, cover 36 extends closely over the tops of gum sticks 32, from hinge 44 to front panel 16c, holding those sticks in packet 30 and helping to prevent the loss of moisture and other molecular ingredients from those sticks to the ambient atmosphere. Preferably, an adhesive strip 46 is provided to hold cover 36 releasably in the closed position. With the embodiment of packet 30 shown in the drawings, adhesive strip 46 is securely attached to packet body 40 and can be attached and detached at will from cover 36 when the cover is in the closed position, thereby to releasably hold the cover in its closed position. For example, the strip 46 may be permanently glued to panel 16c of body 40, and the top portion of the adhesive strip may be covered with a non-permanently bonding adhesive. When cover 36 is in the closed position, a person may attach the front edge of the cover to the top of strip 46 to hold the cover in the closed position. When that person wants to open the packet 30, the cover 36 is detached from strip 46 and then pivoted into the open position. As may be understood, it is not necessary to the practice of this invention that strip 46 be permanently bonded to body 40 and releasably attached to cover 36, and this relationship may be reversed. In particular, strip 46 may be permanently bonded to cover 36, and the lower portion of the strip can be covered with a non-permanently bonding adhesive so that the strip can be attached and detached at will from packet body 40 to releasably hold the packet cover in its closed position. Preferably, blank 10 is made in a continuous, automated process, during which a multitude of such blanks are continuously made in succession. For example, a multitude of blank bases 12 may be continuously unwound, one after another, in the direction of the arrow A of Figure 1, from a band or roll of suitable packaging material. At the same time, tear strip 14 may be continuously unwound from a feeding bob, or other suitable means, and extended across and attached to these blank bases 12. At each length L of the unrolled packaging material, that material is transversely cut to form the back edge and the notch 24 of one blank, and the front edge and tongue 22 of the next succeeding blank base. Preferably, this edge cut is made by, first, making a linear cut across the entire width of each blank, except for the zone 50 containing the tear strip 14, and then cutting across that zone 50 to form the complementary shaped tongue 22 and notch 24 of the adjacent blanks. The first of the above-mentioned cuts may be made, for example, by a rectilinear blade (not shown) provided with a notch so that this blade does not cut through zone 50; and after this operation, the blank is still connected to the band of packaging material by the narrow uncut zone 50. The second of the above-mentioned cuts may be made by punch assembly 52 shown in Figure 5. Preferably, this assembly is used to make the second of the above-mentioned cuts, and simultaneously to make cut 42 in tear strip 14. Generally, assembly 52 includes guide block 54 and punches 56 and 60. In use, punches 56 and 60 are disposed above blank 10 and are supported for upward and downward reciprocating movement to cut out tongue 22 and to form cut 42 in tear strip 14, and guide block 54 is positioned on blank 10 to guide that reciprocating movement of the punches 56 and 60. With the embodiment of assembly 52 shown in Figure 5, guide block 54 forms two recesses 62 and 64 that are used to guide movement of punches 56 and 60, respectively, and the inward ends of these recesses 62a and 64a are spaced apart a distance equal to the desired distance between notch 24 and cut 42. Punches 56 and 60 are disposed above and are aligned with recesses 62 and 64 respectively; and punch 56 has a curved or arcuate bottom cutting edge 56a that matches the shape of gripping tongue 22, and punch 60 has a straight cutting edge 60a. To make the cut 42 in one blank and to form the gripping tongue 22 of the next blank, guide block 54 is positioned on those two blanks, with the inward end of recess 64 positioned over the location at which it is desired to make the gripping tongue 22, and with inward end of recess positioned 62 over the location at which it is desired to make cut 42. Then, punches 56 and 60 are forced downward, through recesses 62 and 64 to form the gripping tongue 22 in region 50 and to form cut 42 through tear strip 14. With the preferred embodiment described above, tear strip 14 is cut at 42 after that strip has been attached to blank base 12. Alternatively, the tear strip may be cut prior to being attached to the blank base 12.

Claims: A reclosable packet (30) comprising: a multitude of side panels (16a to 16e) connected together to form a packet (30) said multitude of panels arranged in sequence and including a first side panel (16a) and a last side panel (16e) in said sequence, said first side panel (16a) and said last side panel (16e) being connected together to form the packet (30), the side panels (16a to 16e) including top portions (18a to 18e) folded together to form a top of the packet, and bottom portions (19a to 19e) folded together to form a bottom for the packet (30); a tear strip (14) attached to and transversely extending across each of said side panels (16a to 16e), adjacent the top of the packet (30), to form a lateral tear line (34) around the packet (30) to separate the packet (30) into a body (40) and a cover (36); the tear strip (14) having first (14e) and second (14d) opposite longitudinal ends; the tear strip (14) being transversely cut through (42), adjacent the first end (14c) thereof, to separate the tear strip (14) into a first section (14a) and a second section (14b), wherein when the first section (14a) of the tear strip (14) is torn away from the packet (30) to form said tear line (34), said transverse cut (42) prevents the first section (14a) of the tear strip (14) from tearing the second section (14b) thereof away from the packet (30), and said second section (14b) forms a flexible hinge (44) connecting the cover (36) of the packet (30) to the body (40) thereof; characterized in that the second section (14b) of the tear strip (14) extends only across the first side panel (16a) and is bounded at one end by said transverse cut (42) and at the other by the first longitudinal end (14e) of the tear strip (14). A reclosable packet according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover (36) is movable between open and closed positions, and an adhesive strip (46) is attached to one of the cover (36) and the body (40), for releasably attaching to the other of the cover (36) and the body (40) to hold the cover (36) releasably in the closed position. A reclosable packet according to claim 2, characterized in that : the adhesive strip (46) is permanently adhesively bonded to the body (40) of the packet (30); and a top portion of the adhesive strip (46) includes a non-permanently bonding adhesive to releasably attach the adhesive strip (46) to the cover (36) of the packet (30). A reclosable packet according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the multitude of side panels (16a to 16e) form a first transverse edge (21), and a gripping tongue (22) is connected to and longitudinally extends outward from said first edge (21), and that the tear strip (14) is attached to and extends at least partially across the gripping tongue (22). A reclosable packet according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that : said multitude of panels (16a to 16e) further includes a second side panel (16b), a third side panel (16c) and a fourth side panel (16d) in said sequence; and said last side panel comprises a fifth side panel (16e) in said sequence. A reclosable packet according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the tear strip (14) has only one transverse through cut (42) between the first (14c) and second (14d) ends of the tear strip (14). A blank (10) for making a reclosable packet (30), comprising: a multitude of side panels (16a to 16e) connected together for forming the packet (30), said multitude of panels (16a to 16e) being arranged in a sequence having first and second opposite ends and including a first side panel (16a) forming said first end of said sequence, the side panels (16a to 16e) including top portions (18a to 18e) to form a top for the packet (30), and bottom portions (19a to 19e) to form a bottom for the packet (30); a tear strip (14) attached to and transversely extending across each of the multitude of side panels (16a to 16e), adjacent to the top portion (18a, 18b, 18c, 18d, 18e) thereof, to form a lateral tear line (34) around the packet (30) and to separate the packet (30) into a cover (36) and a body (40); the tear strip (14) having first (14c) and second (14d) opposite longitudinal ends; the tear strip (14) being transversely cut through (42), adjacent the first end (14c) thereof, to separate the tear strip (14) into a first section (14a) and a second section (14b), wherein when the first section (14a) of the tear strip (14) is torn away from the packet (30) to form said tear line (34), said transverse cut (42) prevents the first section (14a) of the tear strip (14) from tearing the second section (14b) thereof away from the packet (30), and the second section (14b) of the tear strip (14) forms a flexible hinge (44), hingedly connecting the cover (36) of the packet (30) to the body (40) thereof: characterized in that the second section (14b) of the tear strip (14) extends only across the first panel (16a) and is bounded at one end by said transverse cut (42) and at the other by the first longitudinal end (14e) of the tear strip (14). A blank according to claim 7, characterized in that the multitude of side panels (16a to 16e) form a first transverse edge (21), and a gripping tongue (22) is connected to and longitudinally extends outward from said first transverse edge (21), and wherein the tear strip (14) is attached to and extends at least partially across the gripping tongue (22). A blank according to claim 7 or claim 8, characterized in that said multitude of panels further includes a second side panel (16b), a third side panel (16c), a fourth side panel (16c) and a fifth side panel (16e) in said sequence. A blank according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that an adhesive strip (46) is attached to one of the panels (16a to 16e) to releasably attach the cover (36) of the packet (40) to the body (40) thereof. A blank according to any one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that the tear strip (14) has only one transverse through cut (42) between the first (14c) and second (14d) ends of the tear strip (14). A method for forming a blank (10) for a reclosable carton (30), comprising: unwinding a given length (L) segment of a flexible packaging material from a supply of said material, said segment extending in longitudinal and transverse directions; forming a multitude of fold lines (20a to 20d) transversely extending across said segment to separate said segment into a multitude of contiguous panels (16a to 16e), said multitude of panels (16a to 16e) being arranged in a sequence and including a first side panel (16a) and a last side panel (16e) in said sequence; attaching a tear strip (14) to said segment, adjacent and parallel to a first longitudinally extending edge (15) of said segment; separating said segment from the supply of the packaging material; forming a transverse cut (42) through the tear strip (14), adjacent a first end (14c) of the tear strip (14), to separate the tear strip (14) into first section (14a) and a second section (14b), wherein when the first section (14a) of the tear strip (14) is torn away from said panels (16a to 16e) to form a tear line (34) thereacross, said transverse cut (42) prevents the first section (14a) of the tear strip (14) from tearing the second section (14b) of the tear strip (14) away from the panels (16a to 16e), and the second section (14b) of the tear strip (14) forms a flexible hinge (44) between the transverse cut (42) and the first end (14c) of the tear strip (14), characterized in that the second section (14b) of the tear strip (14) is disposed directly on the first side panel (14a) and extends only across the first side panel (16a) and is bounded at one end by said transverse cut (42) and at the other by the first longitudinal end (14e) of the tear strip (14). A method according to claim 12, characterized in that: the attaching step includes the step of attaching the tear strip (14) substantially completely across the length (L) of said segment in the longitudinal direction; and the separating step includes the steps of i) partially separating said segment from the supply of packaging material while maintaining said segment partially connected to the supply of packaging material via a connecting portion, wherein the tear strip (14) extends onto said connecting portion, and ii) forming a gripping tongue (22) from said connecting portion. A method according to claim 13, characterized in that : the unwinding step includes the step of continuously unwinding a multitude of segments of the packaging material in sequence from the supply of packaging material; the attaching step includes the step of continuously attaching the tear strip (14) to each of the said segments of the packaging material; and the step of forming the gripping tongue (22) includes the step of forming the gripping tongue (22) of each of said segments substantially simultaneously while forming the transverse cut (42) through the tear strip (14) on the segment immediately preceding said each segment. A method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the step of forming the transverse cut (42) includes the steps of (i) placing a die block (54) on one of the segments of packaging material, and (ii) inserting first and second punches (56,60) through the die block to form the transverse cut through the tear strip on said one of the segments, and to form the gripping tongue (22) of a next succeeding segment of the packaging material.

Inventors: GODARD PASCAL CLAUDE, GODARD, PASCAL CLAUDE
Applicants: GEN FOODS KRAFT FRANCE, KRAFT GENERAL FOODS FRANCE S.A.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: B65D75
IPC codes: B65D65, B65D75